Wasatch County voters will choose three new councilmembers this November.
Candidates shared their platforms at GOP and Democratic county conventions April 7 and 8, hoping to earn their party’s nomination.
In the race for county council seat A, an at-large position, William “Brett” Vance secured strong support at the GOP convention Tuesday, April 7, as an “America first” candidate.
“We need to ramp up the pace on illegal alien deportation, because we’ve got a census coming up, and that’s going to affect apportionment,” he said. “And then… election integrity means that we need citizen voting, voter ID, paper ballots and limited use of mail-ins.”
Vance got applause when he spoke about losing his pilot job for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine. He also promised to protect open space “at all costs.”
With 60% of delegates’ support, Vance received the GOP nomination, ahead of county council veteran Steve Farrell, who had hoped to come out of retirement.
He will face off with fellow Republican candidate Rachel Kahler in the primary. Kahler, a former Heber City councilmember, was not permitted to address convention delegates because she chose to gather signatures to get on the ballot instead.
“Growth is the No. 1 issue in our community, and so many people are frustrated and concerned that their leadership isn’t taking the right steps towards planning adequately,” she said. “We need to make sure that we have enough roads and that our utilities are not being maxed out, and I have that experience.”
Kahler told KPCW in an interview that the signature-gathering route gave her the opportunity to connect with voters personally.
Patrick Saucier received the Democratic nomination for council seat A at the party’s convention Wednesday evening, April 8. He is running to represent families and advocate for social justice.
“I can promise you that right now: there are not many people on that county council who are concerned about a person raising a family,” he said. “I will not cast a vote unless it’s in the best interest of a person raising a family.”
He also referenced Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were killed by immigration officers in Minneapolis in January, saying he worried nothing would change “if that happened here.”
Seat C, which represents northeastern Heber City and the Jordanelle Ridge area, is the only uncontested county council race on the ballot. Incumbent Erik Rowland is running for a second term and told delegates he believes in local control.
“I want to continue to be that voice to preserve our North Fields, to mitigate and help control this growth to a level that’s sustainable, so that we can have a future here that our families are proud of,” he said.
Seat F includes Hideout, Timber Lakes and rural, eastern Wasatch County.
The race has one Democratic candidate, Joe Tugaw, and one Republican, Mike Murphy.
Like Rowland, Murphy emphasized the importance of local government.
“I'm going to go to the cottage meetings; I'm going to go to the caucus meetings; I'm going to go to the conventions; I'm going to make decisions,” he said. “I need your feedback. That's how a constitutional republic works.”
He said he values family-friendly policies, housing affordability and fiscal responsibility.
Tugaw was unable to attend the Democratic convention but told KPCW he’s running because he cares about infrastructure, water and open communication with constituents.
“I want to make sure that we have controlled, well thought-out development that is not negatively impacting the people that have lived in this area for generations,” he said.
He said he comes from a conservative background and shares the community’s concerns.
Council Seat A will go to a primary because there are multiple Republican candidates. Ballots go out to voters June 2, and the primary election is June 23.
